The Untalented, Anonymous Commenter (Part IV)

Mom's Stained Glass
Originally uploaded by The Stitchin Sheep.

Here we have another installment of "How Uncreative My Mom Is."

This is her main hobby (the quilts were just a side thing as gifts for others). Stained glass work is her main passion. She does really beautiful work, though she doesn't feel she's creative enough to design her own. So, as far as I know, each of the pieces she's made to date are from someone else's designs, though I'm almost certain she picks the colors she likes (somewhat like those of us knitters who use someone else's pattern with a different yarn of our choosing). This is only one of at least 8-10 different finished projects she has in different windows around her house and out in the backyard.

Unlike the quilting, this is a very skilled hobby with many dangerous aspects to it that really can't easily be learned at home (that's not to say quilt-making doesn't require skills - skills I apparently don't have, as we discussed earlier). So, she's not self-taught on this one. She has taken several community college courses to learn how to do various different types of stained glass projects.

Oh, and in case you're wondering what goes into making stained glass goodies, I'm no expert, but I can give you a little idea. This is not a precut kit. She has a special cutting machine (danger!) that she uses to hand-cut each piece of glass to the right size and shape. CORRECTION: THE MACHINE IS A GRINDER. SHE CUTS THEM BY HAND, THEN GRINDS THEM TO MAKE THEM SMOOTH. Then, the black lines that separate the glass, while also holding them together, can be various different types of metal wire that are melted and shaped into place, if I remember correctly. Lead is an example (Did I mention, danger!?). So, as you can see, this is no paint-by-number kindergarten project. It's complicated and takes quite a bit of practice to get right.

She only sent me a picture of this one, so you'll have to take it as a sampling of her work, unless I can convince her to send more. But, you get the idea.

Now, tell me, is my mother really as untalented as all that? Nah, I don't think so either.